RiverFest headliner for Friday announced

Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 10:31 a.m.

“Come Sail Away” on the banks of the Coosa River with the headline act set for Riverfest on May 31.

Facts

RiverFest

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Styx, the band that made that song famous, is the headliner for the rock night of RiverFest.

The Chamber of Gadsden and Etowah County made the announcement early today.

Spawned from a suburban Chicago basement in the early 1970s, Styx by the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was transformed into the prototype arena rock band, according to a news release from the Chamber, with a fondness for both big rock songs and soaring power ballads.

It broke into the mainstream in 1973 with “Lady,” which received substantial airplay and reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top 40.

From 1977 to 1981, Styx released four consecutive multi-platinum albums — the first group to achieve that distinction — that spawned hit singles including “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” “Blue Collar Man,” “Fooling Yourself” and “Too Much Time on My Hands.”

Members Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips, with original bassist Chuck Panozzo making an occasional surprise appearance, since 1999 have given more live performances than in the previous years of the group's history combined. They include two Super Bowl appearances and Pollstar Box Office chart-topping tours.

RiverFest is set for May 31 and June 1 on Albert Rains Boulevard, which will be closed for four days during the event.

The remainder of the lineup will be released once acts are confirmed.

Text 'riverfest' to 22411 to get RiverFest updates and special offers.

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